Pink Petals and Paper Fans
by Wohitzi
Summary: Once, there was a girl, her namesake a flower, and there was a boy, his namesake a fan. And, slowly but surely, the two fell in love. Unconnected Drabbles
1. Mixed Messages

If Sasuke were to return to Konoha, there were two reactions he expected to receive from Sakura.

The first was that she would accept him open arms, hugging him tearfully as she told him how much she had missed him.

The second was that she would hold a grudge, hating him for everything he had done.

When he finally did return home, Sasuke got mixed messages.

First, Sakura slapped him.

"What the hell were you thinking, running off to join Orochimaru! And then trying to fight Itachi on your own! You could've been killed!"

Then, she hugged him.

"I'm sorry! It's just, I was so worried, and I've missed you so much. I can't believe you're finally home."

Sasuke accepted the reaction without complaint, rubbing his sore cheek with one hand while wrapping the other around Sakura's waist.

Because, though he'd probably never admit, he had missed her too.

* * *

Author's Notes: _I am aware that this is beyond lame and I should probably be spending my time working on my Avatar drabbles, but I couldn't resist writing this. I think the new Naruto opening has re-awakened my SasuSaku fanatic. _

**Disclaimer: I do not own 'Naruto' or any of its characters.**


	2. Bonds

At a young age, Sasuke had vowed to become an avenger, to kill the man who had ruined his life. He had trained and trained, striving to become stronger. He had distanced himself from everyone, focusing only on his goal.

But, despite his best efforts, the Uchiha found himself growing attached to his comrades. He fought against the bonds, trying to sever them before they formed, but it was to late; they had become his friends, his precious people, a strange sort of makeshift family.

Months later, before he left to join Orochimaru, he made another life changing vow. He promised himself he would cut off all his bonds and consume himself in the hatred he needed to become stronger.

He spent his time in Orochimaru's company hardly thinking of or missing his old life. Sometimes, he doubted it had ever existed, wondering if it had been some wishful dream.

Two and a half years later, a reminder of his past confronted him.

Haruno Sakura.

Fighting her should have been easy; she was the weakest member of their team, the one who always had to be protected. But something in Sasuke refused to hurt her. A tiny corner of his heart still viewed her as the defenseless comrade he needed to protect.

However, as he fought her, it became quite clear that she had changed greatly during his absence. She was stronger now, angry and determined as she attacked him without holding back.

Sakura charged at him, fist ready to deliver a jaw-shattering punch. Sasuke moved away at the last second, watching her fist tear through a tree that could've been his head. This battle was wasting precious time, and he needed to end it quickly.

He summoned two large snakes, sending them slithering toward the female faster than she could blink. Soon, they had wrapped around her, pinning her tightly to a tree. She struggled against them, determined to keep fighting, but Sasuke could tell she knew her efforts were wasted.

As he approached her, Sakura shut her eyes and turned her head away, apparently predicting his next action. He cupped her chin in his hand, tilting it up toward his face. At his silent command, the snakes pulled tighter around her body. She gasped, eyes shooting open as the air was crushed from her lungs.

The short instant that her eyes were open was all Sasuke needed. With his Sharingan, he was able to send the kunoichi into a deep, genjutsu induced sleep.

The snake summons disappeared in a puff of smoke, and Sasuke caught Sakura's limp body against chest when she slumped forward. Kneeling, he gently rested her sleeping form against the tree. With a quiet farewell, he turned and left, trying to ignore the strange guilt he felt at hurting her.


	3. Fear

When Sasuke awakened in the Forest of Death, the first thing he saw was Sakura. She was bruised, dirty, and her hair was much shorter than before.

Somehow, this made the rage already consuming him burn stronger, filling him with the overwhelming desire to kill.

"Sakura, who the hell hurt you?"

Soon, Sasuke found himself gripping the wrists of a terrified Sound shinobi. The sadistic need for bloodshed over powered all rational thought. With a violent tug, he tore the defenseless ninja's arms out of their sockets.

But he was unsatisfied, and turned his attention to the other man, hoping he would offer a more gruesome battle.

"Stop!"

Sasuke felt Sakura wrap her arms around him, begging him to stop. He couldn't understand why; he was protecting her, she should've been happy.

He turned his head and saw tears flowing down Sakura's cheeks.

_She was afraid._

Somehow, the realization that she was frightened helped him regain control of himself. The power of the curse seal slowly ebbed away.

* * *

Author's Notes: _Ehhh... I'm not too pleased with the ending, but the rest of it seems fine. xP Tell me what you guys think, 'kay?_

**Disclaimer: I do not own 'Naruto' or any of its characters.**


	4. Monster

Sakura did not remember much of what had happened. She just remembered falling from her high perch in the trees, plummeting toward the ground, completely unable to stop herself.

Then a strong pair of arms had caught her, and her savior had safely landed on the ground, gently laying her down on the forest floor.

She also remembered feeling shocked when she saw who her rescuer was.

It was Sasuke, only completely different. His hair was longer and his skin darker, with a large, four-point star covering the center of his face. Grotesque, wing-like appendages sprouted from his back. She only recognized his voice when he said, "Are you okay?"

The cursed seal had turned him into a monster, but Sakura didn't care. He had protected her, and that could only mean one thing.

He cared.

* * *

Author's Notes: _I'm not too sure about this one... Something seems kind of off._

_Anyway, tell me what you think!_

**Disclaimer: I do not own 'Naruto' or any of its characters.**


	5. Goodbye

Sasuke walked toward the village exit, his footsteps the only sound on the lonely road. He was leaving. He had made his decision and nothing would change his mind.

A lone figure stood in the distance, directly in the center of the road, as though acting as a human roadblock. As he came nearer, he saw that the person was Sakura. He did what came naturally, telling her to go home and walking around her. He hoped she would listen, or at least stay quiet and leave him be.

But it seemed Sakura had also made a decision, and she was determined to stay by it.

She spoke of the past; reminding him of their first day as teammates and all the things they'd gone through together. In turn, he told her what he'd already told himself; that he couldn't follow the same path as her and Naruto, and that he had set his mind on revenge. All the while he kept his back to her, refusing to look at her tearful face.

Sakura began to beg, promising him happiness if he stayed, and offering to go with him if he left. But mostly, she confessed her love to him.

Sasuke wanted nothing more than to give into her pleas and continue living his life in Konoha. His resolve was beginning to crumble, and if he didn't do something soon, it would be completely gone.

"You're still annoying," he said, smirking to hide his uncertainty as he faced her for the first time.

Turning away again, he continued toward the village exit. However, Sakura was still determined.

"Don't leave! If you do, I'll scream out loud and-"

Before she could finish, Sasuke had moved behind her.

"Sakura…" he started, then paused, trying to figure out how to put his thoughts into words. To say how much he wished he could stay, to tell her how much her love meant to him.

Finally, he said, "Thank-you."

* * *

Author's Notes: _Sorry for the lack of updates. xP I'll try to update more often from now on._

_Err, yeah. Pretty over done idea, but I like it. Oh, and just so you know, I did this entire scene from memory, so I'm sorry if anything is wrong or out of order. _

**Disclaimer: I do not own 'Naruto' or any of its characters.**


	6. There For You

Sakura walked quietly down the hallway, passing many heavily guarded cells. She had permission to visit Sasuke, who had been dragged back to the village a few days prior. The reason for his imprisonment was the fact that he had yet to achieve his goal of revenge, which caused the Hokage to believe he would attempt escape.

Stopping in front of his cell, Sakura stared sadly at the door. A barrier seal was pasted on its center, preventing anyone from entering or exiting, and forcing her to talk to him through the unfriendly metal.

"It's good to have you back," she said. He did not respond, which was what Sakura had expected. "I know you aren't happy about it; you still want to get revenge, right?"

Again, no answer. She continued anyway.

"I don't blame you. I'd probably feel the same way if someone did to me what he did to you."

Hesitating, she placed her hand against the cold, metallic door. Somehow, she doubted the conversation would've been any different had she been able to see Sasuke's face. Taking a deep breath, she willed the right words to come to mind.

"You… You don't have to do this alone, you know. Naruto, Kakashi-sensei and I, we're all willing to help. We're all here for you."

Silence.

Sakura sighed. "I'll try to visit again later."

With that, she left, doubting her words had made any impact on the Uchiha's mind.

* * *

Author's Notes: _Sorry I haven't updated in a while. xP I'm also sorry that this update isn't very good. Dx_

**Disclaimer: I do not own 'Naruto' or any of its characters.**


	7. Change

"Hyaah!"

Sakura's foot missed Sasuke's head by mere inches, colliding with the ground and creating an impressively large crater. Dust filled the air, obscuring the ninjas' view of each other.

Sasuke took a few careful steps back, finding himself reminded of their days as a team.

XxXxXxXx

"Oof!"

Sakura fell to the ground, landing in a pathetic little heap. Kakashi had set her and Sasuke up to spar, hoping they would be able to build on each other's weaknesses. They were supposed to be working on Sakura's taijutsu, but so far, no progress had been made.

Sasuke scoffed. "This is pointless."

He turned to leave, intending on asking to train with Kakashi. Hell, _Naruto_ would have been a better opponent at this rate. At least he would have fought back.

"Wait!"

Sakura's voice stopped him mid-step. Turning, he saw her getting back to her feet, looking both embarrassed and determined.

"Don't leave!" She pleaded. "I'll fight back this time, I promise!"

He sighed. There was no point in arguing. Approaching her, he took a fighting stance and waited for her to do the same. She did, looking very nervous and unsure of herself.

He moved forward, throwing an easy punch toward her. She blocked it, but still refused to counter. He repeated the action with his opposite hand, and she responded in the same way.

Though she was certainly doing more than she had been before, Sasuke found the whole routine of punching and blocking quite boring. However, he couldn't force her to fight more aggressively, so he continued the repetitive battle.

He threw a punch at her again, expecting her same reaction.

He didn't get it.

Instead, Sakura had ducked beneath the attack, then delivered a punch of her own to his stomach. Not being allowed to use his Sharingan, Sasuke hadn't seen the blow coming, and was knocked onto his back by the force of it.

"Aah! I'm so sorry!" Sakura cried, rushing to his side. "Are you okay?"

He sat up, trying to hide the fact that her attack had actually hurt. Looking up, he was met by her worried face, green eyes staring at him with a 'please-forgive-me' expression.

XxXxXxXx

The dust cleared, giving Sasuke a clear view of Sakura. She gazed back at him, eyes holding nothing but fierce determination. No worry, no mercy, no apology.

Somehow, in the time that had passed, everything had changed.

* * *

Author's Notes: _Okay, I actually really like this drabble. I had the idea for it floating around my head for quite a while, and I'm really happy with how it turned out. _

_What do you guys think?_

Disclaimer: I do not own 'Naruto' or any of its characters.


	8. Cute

Sakura buried her head in her arms, crying quietly. She felt pathetic and hated the way her hiccuping sobs made her throat hurt, but she couldn't stop.

It was all the fault of those stupid bullies! They had teased her after seeing her trip, saying she had fallen because her head out weighed the rest of her body. She already knew her forehead was big; why did they always have to point it out?

"What's wrong?"

The voice startled Sakura, making her look up at its speaker. Seeing the curious dark-haired boy in front of her, she felt herself begin to blush.

"I-it's nothing."

Sasuke frowned. "No it's not. You wouldn't be crying if nothing happened."

Lowering her gaze, Sakura felt her blush deepen as she muttered, "The other kids said I have a big forehead."

He looked at her carefully, as though examing the size of her brow. She held her breath, hoping he would disagree and say she had a normal sized head.

"They're right."

The statement hit her heart mercilessly, and she fought not to break into another set of sobs.

"But it's nothing to be upset over. I think it makes you look cute!" Sasuke smiled, his cheeks turning to a barely visible pink. In the distance, someone called out his name, and he said goodbye before running off toward the voice.

Salura mumbled a goodbye in return, shocked by the boy's statement. Sasuke, her crush, had just called her _cute_. Had just implied that what she and everyone else considered to be her worst feature was what made her cute.

Fighting back squeel of joy, the young Haruno suddenly became very appreciative of her facial flaw.

* * *

Author's Notes: _Chibi!SasuSaku! I've been dying to write about these two as little kids for a while, and I've finally gotten around to doing it. I'm quite pleased with how it came out, too. _

_Tell me what you think!_

**Disclaimer: I do not own 'Naruto' or any of its characters.**


	9. Smoke

Sakura struggled to hide her disappointment. Once again, her team had failed to retrieve Sasuke. What hurt more was that they had been so close to succeeding. She still couldn't believe she'd fallen into a Sharingan illusion and lost him. It made her feel so stupid.

But that was how it always turned out. Sasuke would be within arm's reach of being brought home, and then somehow he would break free and slip away.

Like smoke; completely real and perfectly visible, yet imposible to catch. You couldn't grasp it with your hands, and if you trapped it, you would smother it.

"But," Sakura thought, watching chimney smoke drift away in the wind, "you can guide it in the right direction."

* * *

Author's Notes: _Yeah, I know - uberly short. I still kinda like it though. _

_What do you guys think?_

**Disclaimer: I do not own 'Naruto' or any of its characters.**


	10. Torn

On her mission to retrieve Sasuke, Sakura had carried a photo of Team 7 with her. Anytime she lost hope or thought of stopping, she would remember the picture and continue on with renewed determination.

That was her fuel; her team, her friends, the people she cared for. It always had been.

Now she stared in horror as this person, this _monster,_ tore her precious picture in two. He did it so carelessly, as if it were a pointless piece of paper. The two parts of the image floated away on the wind. One landed facedown in front of Sakura. She reached for it, hesitant, then flipped it over.

Her eyes welled with tears at the sight.

A young Sasuke stared up at her, a disgruntled expression on his face. Kakashi's hand rested on his head, and her pink hair peeked out from the torn edge of the photo.

He was alone, seperated from their team. What had once been a symbol of unity and friendship to Sakura suddenly became one of seperation and solitude.

Looking up from the picture, she locked eyes with her opponent. She was exhausted, sore, and had already used most of her chakra, but now she was also angry, upset, and determined.

Rising to her feet, she prepared to battle once again.

* * *

Author's Notes: _Sorry I haven't updated in - what? A week? I just kept forgetting. xP_

_Well, hopefully you guys like this drabble. _

**Disclaimer: I do not own 'Naruto' or any of its characters.**


	11. Disease

Sakura was a highly skilled medical ninja, capable of healing the most fatal wounds and curing the most crippling ailments. However, no matter how hard she tries, she could not sure Sasuke of the one thing that hurt him the most.

Sadness.

The emotion had plagued the Uchiha for years, spreading to her, Naruto and Kakashi when he left. It was like a disease, taking over his mind and hurting the people around him.

But if it was a disease, Sakura should have been able to heal him. She should have been able to make him laugh and smile and be happy. If it was a disease, there should have been a way to prevent it from spreading, to protect everyone from its pain.

But there wasn't, and she felt her heart ache every time she saw Sasuke's sad eyes.

The sadness was like a contagious cancer, growing and undefeatable, destroying the joy of everyone it touched.

* * *

Author's Notes: _Uhhh.. Yeah. Sorry for the lameness of this one. xP I think I went a little overboard on the angst. _

**Disclaimer: I do not own 'Naruto' or any of its characters.**


	12. Heart

"Hey, why'd you let that girl escape?" Suigetsu asked.

The question was simple enough, but Sasuke's mind couldn't seem to find the answer. It was too clogged up with memories and thoughts and words.

'That girl' was Sakura, a person who had seen him at his worst and his best and accepted him regardless. A person who had cared for him, supported him, _loved_ him.

A person he had thought he'd broken his bonds with.

Somehow she was still important to him. Somehow, he still refused to hurt her, feeling the need to protect her instead.

A prickling pain reminded Sasuke of his curse mark. She had stopped him when he lost control, and saved him from the hideous evil of its power. For the moment.

Now he had given in, accepted Orochimaru. But Sakura hadn't given up. She and Naruto were still desperately chasing him, trying to bring him home.

Suigetsu snapped his fingers in the Uchiha's face.

"I said 'why'd you let that girl escape?'"

For a moment, Sasuke was quiet, staring down at his hands.

Sakura had saved him; he had let her live. It was because he was indebted to her… right?

No. It was deeper than that, deeper than he could understand. His heart, though filled with hatred and revenge, held a place for her, and refused to see her hurt, whether it was by his won doing or someone else's.

Just as Suigetsu was getting impatient again, Sasuke said, "I can't hurt her. It's personal." At the looks from his teammates, he added, "That's all you need to know."

Really, he meant, "You wouldn't understand."

* * *

Author's Notes: _Not sure what to say about this one.. I guess I kinda like it and the way it explores Sasuke's thoughts, but I dunno..._

_Anyway, tell me what you think!_

**Disclaimer: I do not own 'Naruto' or any of its characters.**


	13. Heal

Sakura was awakened by the feeling of smooth scales against her skin. Slowly blinking her eyes opened, she was greeted by the sight of a large snake. It hissed at her, then slithered away. Following its movements, her gaze landed on a limp looking body lying in a pool of blood. Glancing a few feet away, she saw another body in similar condition. Both appeared to be male.

A snake; blood; two bodies, both male…

Her mind made the connection and she jumped to her feet, rushing over to the first body's side.

She remembered now. In a moment of bad judgement, she had split from her team and gone after Sasuke on her own. She had found him, along with someone else.

"Should I take care of her?" Itachi had asked, moving behind Sakura faster than she could blink.

Sasuke had shaken his head, saying he would do it himself. Itachi had moved away, his brother appearing in his place.

"Keep your eyes closed, because this is gonna hurt," he had whispered, breath tickling her ear. Then a sharp pain had run through her body, and she had been encased in blackness.

Now she was awake, and praying Sasuke hadn't been killed.

Sure enough, the body was his. Panicked, Sakura flipped him onto his back, checking the spot where most of the blood was coming from. As she did so, he let out a grunt of pain, relieving her fear of him being dead.

Placing her hands over his heart, she slowly began to heal the wounds that lay there.

* * *

Author's Notes: _Not sure what to say about this. I don't like it, but I don't hate it. xP _

_Tell me what you think. _

**Disclaimer: I do not own 'Naruto' or any of its characters.**


	14. Stronger

Sasuke had left. He had abandoned them, betrayed them, destroyed the team they had built. He was gone, out of their grasp and slipping farther away every second. Sakura was heart-broken, upset, worried – an array of emotions she couldn't control. For a while all she could do was cry, pray, and hate herself for being unable to stop him. She was helpless, a nuisance, useless, just like she had always been.

She hated being unable to do anything, being stuck at home crying while her friends were out risking their lives to save the person she claimed to love. More than anything, she wanted to help, wanted to bring Sasuke back with her own strength and her own actions.

So she went to Tsunade and requested training. She spent the next two years consuming herself in hard work, determined to change and bring back the boy she loved, the boy who had broken her heart.

When she saw him next, looking completely different yet exactly the same, she knew he had made her a better, stronger person, and vowed to thank him by saving him.

* * *

Author's Notes: _So, yeah, just a little drabble about how Sasuke's strengthened Sakura. Hope you liked it. _

**Disclaimer: I do not own 'Naruto' or of its characters.**


	15. Protect

Sakura looked pale and ghostly, her bright pink hair seeming to glow against the whiteness of her skin. Closed eyelids hid the green of her irises from sight. She was far too still for Sasuke's liking.

It seemed strange, backwards. Usually, she was at his bedside, worrying while he stayed in the hospital to heal. Their roles had been reversed, and he didn't like it one bit. Worry and fear and anxiety were not emotions he knew how to handle, and now he was over-whelmed by all three plus a dozen others, trying to figure out why things had happened the way they did.

Sakura had gotten severely injured because of him, had risked her life to protect him. It didn't make sense. Why would she do that? Why would she save him when all he had done was hurt her?

Sasuke knew the answer, of course, but it wasn't enough. Her feelings for him weren't something he could comprehend. How could she love someone like him?

"Visiting hours is over, sir," said one of the nurses. She clutched her clipboard to her chest, seeming to shrink back when he looked at her. She was afraid, but that was no surprise - everyone had feared him after he joined Orochimaru.

He glanced back at Sakura, watching the steady rise and fall of her chest. It was a deceivingly peaceful sight, making it appear as though she were merely sleeping.

I'll protect you next time," Sasuke promised quietly.

* * *

Author's Notes: _Not much to say about this one... Tell me what you think. _

**Disclaimer: I do not own 'Naruto' or any of its characters.**


	16. Sleep

Sakura sat by Sasuke's bedside, the steady beeping of hospital equipment creating a lullaby for her tired mind. The sun had long since set, and she wanted nothing more than to go home and sleep. But she couldn't bring herself to leave Sasuke's side. He had been brought him a few hours prior, critically injured but miraculously still alive. She wanted to be there when he woke up, to scold him for running away and thank the Gods for his survival.

The ticking of the clock blended with the beeping of the machines. Together, it was music, begging her to rest.

Sakura was confused. Her love for Sasuke had never wavered – not in the slightest. But in his absence, new emotions had surfaced. Anger at how he had abandoned her and Naruto; hate for how apathetic he was toward them; guilt for having been unable to stop him; betrayed by how he had thrown away their friendship.

The pounding of her troubled mind pulsed over the ticking and the beeping. She would not sleep.

Resting her head in her hands, she sighed and tried to organize her thoughts. In the past, Sasuke had been the picture of perfection, someone to be placed on a pedestal. Now she saw he was just a flawed and broken teen, like a porcelain doll that had been chipped away at by years of abuse.

Part of her wanted to be like everyone else; to run away and abandon the damaged person he really was. The other half wanted pull him closer and try to heal him. The first part seemed to be the judgement of her brain; wise and rational, the smart option everyone would support. The second seemed to be her heart's intuition; sympathetic and caring, doing what felt right.

For once, Sakura was going to follow her heart.

The beating of said organ began to fill her head, lulling her to sleep with its calming steadiness.

* * *

Author's Notes: _Yeah, I know this drabble is kinda similar to the one I did of Sasuke, but I still like it. I hope you guys do, too. _

**Disclaimer: I do not own 'Naruto' or any of its characters.**


	17. Rebirth

Sakura had crushed on Sasuke for as long as she could remember. He seemed so perfect, invincible and beyond ridicule.

She had never imagined both assumptions could be proven wrong in a single battle.

He had been a coward. Terrified beyond reason, about to give up and let the enemy win. It seemed so wrong, so... un-Sasuke. Wasn't he at the top of all his classes, praised for being the best fighter on their team? Wasn't he supposed to be fearless, prepared to leap into battle without hesitation?

And then he had been hurt. Badly. His screams of pain still echoed through Sakura's mind, sending a shiver of worry and fear down her spine. If Sasuke could be hurt this badly, what chance did she have?

Sitting in a hollowed tree, she tended to her unconscious teammates, wondering what to do. Naruto was brash and bold, never thinking before he acted, but he was also strong, always pulling through in the end. Sasuke was skillful and smart and handsome, her knight in shining armour, someone who would protect her from everything.

But now her knight was injured, and she, the princess, had to protect him.

And she did, at one point.

The reality of her situation was unavoidable. If she didn't do something, they would all die. Naruto, the loud-mouthed boy she was learning to accept; Sasuke, the not-so-perfect crush she strived to gain the approval of; and Lee, the ninja she barely knew, someone who liked her enough to sacrifice his own safety for her sake. They all needed her. And for once, she would be there for them.

Slicing through her hair with a kunai, Sakura freed herself from something she once thought made her beautiful, something she thought would impress Sasuke. The pink strands covered the earth as she stood, a determined phoenix rising from the ashes of her shallowness.

* * *

Author's Notes: _So, this is dedicated to one of the greatest Sakura moments in the series. Seriously, I love that scene. It speaks volumes about how she's matured since her first appearance, and it was great to finally see her in action. I'm not sure if I did it much justice, though. _

**Disclaimer: I do not own 'Naruto' or any of its characters.**


	18. Apologize

_The black and white world of Itachi's Tsukiyomi surrounded Sasuke, the blood-red sky looming above him. His brother stood across from him, a dead body lying in front of him, covered in a liquid the same colour as the sky. Pale hair obscured the victim's face, but wide, lifeless eyes were still visible. _

_Sakura._

_Itachi spoke, his voice cold and echoing, "Bonds weigh you down, make you easy to harm, weaken you. Precious people are a nuisance. Bonds should be severed."_

_Then the world blurred; warm, healing hands were on his forehead, pulling him back to reality. Sakura's face swam in his vision, unfocused but obviously alive. _

_His hand shot out, wrapping around her throat, cutting off her air. She was precious to him – he couldn't let her live, couldn't risk other people torturing him with her death. _

XxXxXx

A beeping sound could be heard. Voices were arguing.

"I can't let you stay alone with him. It's too dangerous."

"But he's not himself! Something's wrong, and if I just had one minute I could-"

"No. The Hokage won't allow, the doctors won't allow it, and I won't allow it."

They sounded familiar, but Sasuke's mind was too clouded and tired to identify them. Maybe if he could see them...

"Kakashi-sensei, look! I think he's waking up!"

His vision slowly slid into focus. Sakura hovered over him, happiness and fear evident in her features. She started to reach forward, as though to touch him, but quickly pulled her hand away. Kakashi moved into his view, gazing down at him with caution, worry.

Disappointment.

Sasuke remembered what he did. He understood why they were worried and frightened; knew his actions and his thoughts were completely irrational. But a part of him still agreed with his action, still believed killing Sakura was the best way to protect himself.

He sat up, slowly, keeping his eyes locked with Sakura's. In his peripheral, he would see Kakashi looking nervously between them, probably worried about one might do to the other.

Sakura reached forward again, stopped, then hesitantly retracted her hand, breaking away from Sasuke's gaze. He continued to stare at her, watching as she fidgeted and bit her lip.

Time ticked by slowly, none of them moving, none of them speaking. No one knew how much time had passed, only that it moved slowly.

Glancing back toward him, Sakura repeated her action a third time. Only, this time she didn't pull away, instead pausing, then forcing her hand to continue forward. Soon, she had her arms around him in a gentle embrace.

They sat like that for a moment, Sakura with her arms wrapped tightly around Sasuke, the Uchiha silently accepting the hug. Then, hesitantly, he lifted his own arms, wrapping them around her waist.

He said nothing, allowing the gesture to speak for him.

* * *

Author's Notes: _As explanation for any and all inaccuracies, this was written before recent chapters. I just forgot to post it. xP_

_So, anyway, tell me what you think. _

**Disclaimer: I do not own 'Naruto' or any of its characters.**


	19. Bubbles

Round, clear bubbles drifted into the air, Sakura's cheerful giggles following them.

It was a calm, warm afternoon, and team 7 (the _original_ team 7) was relaxing under the bright blue sky. Having recently finished a rough mission, Kakashi agreed to give them a break from training. Somehow, Sakura came to the conclusion that it was the perfect opportunity to blow bubbles.

Sasuke scowled at the girl, annoyed by her childish antics. In his opinion, they should have been training, not playing games. Being ninjas was serious business.

He also hated how her girly, giggly behaviour made him want to smile. It justwasn't right.

But he couldn't help it – her happiness was contagious, and the corners of his lips insisted on tugging upward.

Naruto made things worse by pointing and exclaiming, "Sakura-chan, look! The bastard's actually smiling!"

The pink-haired girl turned to him, her own smile widening as she said, "See, Sasuke-kun? I told you it wouldn't hurt."

"Hn," he grumbled, averting his gaze as his cheeks reddened and he forced himself to frown.

* * *

Author's Notes: _Woot! Another SasuSaku drabble -_ finally. _And, for once, it's actually fluffly. :D _

**Disclaimer: I do not own 'Naruto' or any of its characters. If I did, the fight scenes would be shorter and it would go from angst to fluff at random intervals. **


	20. Beautiful

Sasuke was convinced that there was something extremely wrong. He didn't know when (or why) it had happened, but suddenly Sakura seemed... beautiful.

Not that he had ever thought she was ugly. No, she was quite decent looking, even with her disproportioned forehead. In fact, he would even go so far as to say she was cute.

But _beautiful_? That description had never once entered his mind.

She didn't look any different. Her hair was still that God-awful bright pink, her eyes the same vivid green, and she hadn't grown in either height or chest.

So why on Earth did he lose his breath when he looked at her?

Thankfully, Sasuke managed to hide his new opinion of Sakura, treating her with the usual apathy and nonchalance. Sometimes he was even able to keep himself from admiring her.

But with good days came bad days.

XxXxXx

"Hyaah!"

Ducking at the last second, Sasuke narrowly avoided a bone-crushing punch to the head.

Seizing his opponent's split-second moment of weakness, he ploughed his fist into her stomach, knocking her back several feet.

Panting, Sakura sat up, wiping a trickle of blood from her lip. Sasuke observed her battered state as they both took a moment to rest. Her chest heaved with laboured breathing, cheeks also flushed from exertion. Her hair was tousled despite the headband she wore to keep it in place, and dirt covered every inch of her.

But, damn it, the only word that came to mind when he looked at her was 'beautiful'.

"Sasuke-kun? Is something wrong?"

She had gotten to her feet, breathing more normally as she moved toward him, looking somewhat concerned.

"I'm fine," he said, averting his eyes. Immediately, he regretted the action, as it prevented him from savouring Sakura's beauty and made him look like he was avoiding the subject.

"Don't lie," she said, frowning. "Tell me what's bothering you."

Sasuke crossed his arms, remaining stubbornly and childishly silent.

Stomping her foot and huffing in an equally childish manner, Sakura pouted and said, "Tell me!"

"You."

"I can't! I don't know what you're thinking!"

"No, I mean the problem _is_ you," he growled, glaring in annoyance.

Shoulders slumping, she turned her gaze to the ground. "Oh..."

He sighed, then growled, then pinched the bridge of his nose. "Look, it's nothing to be upset over, because it's not really your fault. I've just lost my mind."

"Well... What's wrong?" She asked.

"I think you're beautiful," he admitted bluntly, warmth rising to his cheeks.

Sakura wrinkled her forehead. "Um... Thanks?"

"No!" he yelled, causing her to jump. "It's not good, it's bad! It's driving me insane, because every time I look at you, I just... _can't think_."

For a moment, she stared at him with wide, shocked eyes. Slowly, a smile formed on her face. Biting her lip, she blushed, avoiding his eyes as she said, "It might be my own wishful thinking, but... it sounds like you're in love."

He cursed under his breath, running his fingers through his hair. "Well, now what am I supposed to do?"

"What do you want to do?"

He stared at her for a minute. Then, seeming to make his decision, he took a few steps forward, so that he stood inches away from her. Leaning down, he placed a careful, hesitant kiss on her lips.

* * *

Author's Notes: _I know, totally cliche and cheesy, but I couldn't help myself. I ddn't write for this couple nearly enough. _

**Disclaimer: I do not own 'Naruto' or any of its characters.**


	21. Psychotic

Sasuke was not insane.

No matter what everyone told her, Sakura would always believe this. Because insane people didn't have friends or feelings or lucid thought.

Sasuke had many friends, even though he tried to separate himself from them. She and Naruto and Kakashi were his friends – almost his family, in a way – and many other people cared deeply for him, enough to risk their lives to save him (Kiba, Choji, Neji, and Shikamaru all came to mind). If he was crazy, they wouldn't care. If anything, they would _want_ him dead.

Sasuke definitely had feelings. That was why he sought revenge. Itachi had hurt him mentally, physically, and emotionally, traumatizing him with the murder of their family. His only problem was coping with and expressing his feelings; that was why he went for simple-minded and bloodthirsty revenge.

Despite this, he was very smart. He was at the top of his classes, a good strategist, and considered a genius by many. Insane people _couldn't_ b geniuses, because they had lost their mind and lacked the ability to think rationally.

Sakura continued reminding herself of this, refusing to believe otherwise even as she watched the doors to his cell close and saw his pathetic, restrained figure through the thick iron bars.

Sasuke wasn't insane. He couldn't be.

* * *

Author's Notes: _So, yeah, more fanfiction. :D I've entered the 50scenes community on Livejournal, so expect a lot more drabbles for this couple in the future. _

_As for this drabble... I'm not sure how happy I am with how it came out. xP What do you guys think?_

**Disclaimer: I do not own 'Naruto' or any of its characters.**


	22. Control

Since receiving the curse mark, self-control had become rather difficult for Sasuke. Despite the seal Kakashi had given him, he felt disturbing urges to kill, hungering for bloodshed and chaos. It was frightening. What if he became exactly like his brother? Even more upsetting was that he almost... _enjoyed_ it sometimes.

Thankfully, he still had control over his mind and body, even if he couldn't stop the unusual impulses. He didn't want to hurt anyone, especially not the people he cared about (though, he would never admit to having any such attachments).

However, the urges got progressively worse. Nearly every day, a persuasive, hissing voice would talk in the back of his mind, insisting he take a kunai to someone's jugular. No one would care – what was one person in a village of thousands? The suggestions were tempting, and resistance was increasingly harder. The mark on his neck burned, and he itched to let it overcome him.

He would see Sakura, smiling and innocent in her usual red dress. He would wish the garment was gone, imagining her instead covered only by the red of her blood, having been raped and murdered at his hands.

He couldn't hurt her, though. He refused to; the same way he refused to hurt any of his other teammates. He struggled against the desire, which was stronger than any other.

These thoughts and urges continued to plague him, still present on the day he left. Even as Sakura pleaded with him to stay, he was imagining all the wonderfully awful things he could do to her.

As he laid her unconscious form on the hard stone bench, he gave in.

He kissed her gently on the lips, savouring every sensation tied to the moment. When he pulled away, gazing at her peaceful form, the persistent voice quieted, satisfied for the moment.

* * *

Author's Notes: _Yeah, yeah, it's pretty cliche and uncreative, but it was all I could think of for the prompt. xP Besides, I'm kinda happy with how it turned out, and I've always liked the idea of this kind fo scene._

**Disclaimer: I do not own 'Naruto' or any of its characters.**


	23. Illusion

Sakura rushed forward, away from Naruto and the beast he had become. The Kyuubi, terrifying and ruthless and _definitely_ not the boy she had befriended.

But that wasn't the only reason she was running. No, she had a mission to consider. Rescuing Sasuke was their goal, and she knew Naruto would insist she carry it out.

That didn't make her feel any less guilty.

A familiar chakra filled her senses. He was close. She was almost there.

Soon, she stood, panting and staring at the person in front of her. The smell of blood was overwhelming as it oozed from a corpse she barely recognized as Itachi. But Sakura paid no mind to the dead Uchiha. She was too stunned by the sight of his brother.

He looked like a demon, with hand-like wings sprouting from one shoulder blade and a dozen snakes from the other. His hair had grown long and wild, while a black, four-pointed star marked his face.

Naruto had been taken over by the Kyuubi.

Sasuke had been transformed by the curse seal.

It was all so wrong. These creatures – they weren't Sakura's friends; they weren't the teens she had grown so close to.

She clenched her shaking fists, trying to breathe around the lump that had formed in her throat. Tears welled in her eyes, and, with a choked sob, slowly slid down her cheeks.

"You're not Sasuke-kun!"

He just stared, eyes burning red and apathetic. Then he stepped forward, slowly walking toward her.

"_Fight!_" she thought. _"Defend yourself!"_ But instead of sliding into a defensive stance, she merely hugged herself and shut her eyes to the approaching monster.

It seemed to take forever for the sound of his footsteps to stop. The pink-haired kunoichi sucked in a breath, sensing his closeness. She expected him to attack, kill her like he had Itachi and Sasuke.

Instead, she felt his fingers gently brush her cheek, wiping away her tears.

"Sakura," he murmured, his voice soft and definitely coming from the Sasuke she remembered.

However, she didn't open her eyes. She wanted to cling to the moment for as long as she could, fearing it might only be an illusion.

* * *

Author's Notes: _Just so you know, this is old. Like, beginning-of-Sasuke-and-Itachi's-confrontation old. I wasn't gonna post it, since I thought it was pretty crappy, but I reread it and decided to go for it anyway. _

_So, yeah, tell me what you think. _

**Disclaimer: I do not own 'Naruto' or any of its characters.**


	24. Green

Sasuke hated the colour green.

For one thing, it was ugly. It was either too bright or too dark and it always clashed with everything. Who would like something as obnoxious as that?

It was everywhere, too. In the constant trees that bordered and filled Konoha, on the grassy training fields and the chuunin vests. That was one of the reasons he liked winter – the season was cold, killing the leaves, covering the grass in snow, and forcing the chuunins to put on warmer clothing.

When he left the village, the dark, neutral shades of Orochimaru's hideouts had always been a welcome change. It was easy on the yes and prevented him from thinking of home.

At first, anyway.

Green returned at night, entering Sasuke's dreams. While he slept, he would think see Sakura's tear filled viridian eyes, begging him to stay and scolding him for the hurt he had caused. He hated it.

As if that wasn't annoying enough, the eyes of his snake summons where the same shade as the kunoichi's, reminding him of her with their gaze and loyal protection.

Suddenly, the wretched colour was everywhere - in nature and enemies and eyes and chakras. And every time he saw it, he thought not of his village, but his pink-haired teammate.

* * *

Author's Notes: _Err, yeah, not much to say about this, It's definately not one of my favourite fics, but it's all I could think of for the prompt. ._

**Disclaimer: I do not own 'Naruto' or any of its characters.**


	25. I'll Make it Fly

Sasuke eyed the contraption sceptically. It was a mess of sticks, fabric and string that Sakura was constructing. Her optimism was unwavering.

"It'll fly," she assured him when he voiced his doubt.

He merely raised an eyebrow, watching her attach two sticks together. How something like that could possibly fly, he had no idea.

The day wore on, the sun climbing higher in the sky and burning their scalps. Sasuke continued to watch his pink-haired (and now pink skinned) teammate as she continued to work on her project.

"It'll never work," he said from the shade of a tree.

"Yes it will," she said, still sitting in the heat of the sun.

He rolled his eyes, deciding she was more hopeless than he had initially thought.

Evening soon came, bringing with it cool air and salvation from the afternoon sun. Sakura had finished building her contraption, still confident in its ability to fly. Sasuke remained sceptical.

"You really think this thing will fly?" he asked, holding the part made from a diamond of fabric and a few sturdy sticks.

"She smiled. "Why wouldn't I?"

Holding the string, Sakura turned and ran, speed and wind blowing her hair in her face.

"Let go!" she cried. Sasuke obeyed, then watched in wonder as the kite glided through the air, lifting higher into the sky.

Laughing joyfully, Sakura said, "See? I told you it would work!"

He said nothing, watching as she ran and the kite continued to soar.

* * *

Author's Notes: _Yeah, I have no idea what the point of this was. xP Just a random little idea I had. Call it symbolic or whatever if you want, but I have no idea what it means. _

**Disclaimer: I do not own 'Naruto' or any of its characters.**


	26. Mirage

The desert was a harsh and unforgiving place, hot and dry and so different from the home Sakura was used to. Konoha had trees everywhere, and rivers and mountains and places to escape from the sometimes-harsh conditions.

She was out of her element.

Trudging forward, the sand shifted beneath her feet and her fact-filled mind began listing off the dangers of the desert.

Dehydration was number one. Water was hard, maybe even possible to find in such a place, which was never a good thing, as it was something the body constantly needed. Even worse, extreme thirst could sometimes lead to insanity.

Why was she here, anyway? She couldn't remember. Her mouth was dry and her scalp was burning and she decided she much preferred freezing in the icy tundra of the Snow Country.

A figure appeared in the distance, green and seeming to wave at her.

_Kakashi!_

Running forward, Sakura struggle to keep from tripping in the hot, shifting sand. It felt like forever that she ran, stumbling and tiring but overjoyed at seeing a friend.

She was close enough to touch him now, to grab him from behind and hug him with all the strength she had.

Sharp spikes greeted her when she tried to do so. It was a cactus, not her teacher.

Nursing her injured hand, she turned to try and figure out where she was, only to see a swirling shape a few yards away. It rushed forward, as orange as the blazing sun and seeming to ride on the air itself.

_Naruto!_

It came nearer and nearer, and Sakura found herself regretting ever doubting the obnoxious ninja. Soon, he was barely a foot away and still whirling forward, until she was sure he would crash into her.

He moved straight passed her, covering her in sun-tinted and sand that blinded and choked. It was a dust cloud, not her friend.

Blinking the tears and dirt out of her eyes, she saw a figure on the ground in front of her. Her mind told her it was Sasuke, begging to be saved from the sun and the sand and the never-ending torture. But part of her already knew it was just another trick; that no one was in this awful place but herself.

Ignoring the make-believe screams of her lover's mirage, Sakura pressed forward, determined to find a way out. Her legs protested, tired and sore, and gave up. She collapsed, the dust floating up around her and hiding her in a cloud.

There was no way out. She had already reached well beyond her limit.

Closing her eyes, she consented to the sleep her body begged for.

* * *

Author's Notes: _Not sure what to say about this. I personally like how it turned out, but ther's just not really anything to comment on. xP Well, I hope you guys like it!_

**Disclaimer: I do not own 'Naruto' or any of its characters.**


	27. Savior

Sasuke paused in his journey through the desert, wiping sweat off his brow and looking for his teammate.

Team 7 had been sent out on a simple mission. Their job was to bring documents to the Suna, then bring more documents from there to Konoha. The contents and purpose of these documents were unknown, but they were assured that no one would be after the information.

It was true – no one attacked them. However, an ambush wasn't the only thing that could complicate a mission.

The four of them had almost made it to the village when a sand storm moved in. Unaccustomed to such events, they pressed forward and tried to shield their eyes and mouths from the dirt.

By the time they made it out, they could see the village from where they stood and were only a group of three.

Sakura was missing.

Everyone was worried, but Kakashi insisted it was best if they went to the village, delivered the documents, and replenished their supplies. Once that was done, one of them would go back into the desert and search for her.

"I'll do it!" Naruto immediately volunteered.

His teacher shook his head. "No, Naruto, you don't think clearly in this kind of situation. You get too desperate. I think it would be best if Sasuke went."

"I'm not desperate!" the blonde protested. "And why does it have to be _him?_ Why can't you go?"

"I'm the team's leader. I have to stay here and make sure the mission is carried out properly. Besides, you two would kill each other if I left you alone."

The air traded glares before Sasuke left to prepare.

Now, as he scanned the vast desert for a sign of his missing teammate, he regretted not changing into cooler clothing. The sun was mercilessly hot and the air was dry, making his shirt stick to him with sweat.

At least he had water. He couldn't imagine how Sakura was managing without it. If she was still alive, that is.

With a frown, he tried to shake away such thoughts and continued his trek through the desert. He saw very little in the area, and wondered how far away the lost girl was.

Then, finally, he saw a figure on the horizon. It looked like someone waving.

_Sakura_. It had to be her. Who else would be in the middle of nowhere?

But as Sasuke drew nearer, he realized it wasn't his friend. It wasn't even human – just a cactus.

Panting, he glared at the plant as though it was its fault he was out there. In response, it stood in place, seeming to mock him with its stillness.

Someone moaned.

Startled, he peered around the cactus, searching for the source of the noise. On the other side lay Sakura, face down on the ground, covered in sand and terrifyingly still.

Moving closer, Sasuke knelt by her side, placing his fingers in her neck and feeling for a pulse. Satisfied that she was still alive, he rolled her over and rested her head on his lap. Gently, he opened her mouth and poured some water from his water bottle down her throat. She seemed semi-conscious and responded to some of his actions, but otherwise remained still and silent.

Returning the bottle to its place on his belt, Sasuke made a silent prayer that he would have enough for the trip back. Over half of the water was gone, having been drank by Sakura.

Gathering the girl into his arms, he stood and carried her back toward the village.

* * *

Author's Notes: _Sequel to the previous drabble, and, again, not much to say. _

**Disclaimer: I do not own 'Naruto' or any of its characters.**


	28. Preference

Sitting in Sasuke's hospital room, Sakura eyed the red-head seated beside her suspiciously. It had been two days since the Uchiha had been brought home, and he still remained in poor condition. A group of three strange individuals had been allowed into the village, confirmed as allies during Sasuke's single moment of consciousness.

Sakura didn't understand it. These people – criminals, probably – were more important to him than she or any of their teammates. More important than the people he had known and fought beside since his first days as a genin; more important than those who loved him and would give their lives to protect him. She assumed this – no, _knew _this – because when he was awake, he refused to acknowledge Team 7's presence, instead focusing on the strange group (whom he referred to as 'Team Hebi')

Had he really moved on? Had he really abandoned their past and severed his bonds? It seemed too harsh a reality to believe, yet it was the only conceivable choice for the Uchiha.

No matter where her relationship with the boy stood, Sakura didn't trust his new allies.

Looking at the red-head from the corner of her eye, she asked, "So, Karin, how do you know Sasuke?"

"I don't see how it's any of your business," she snapped, eyes hidden by the gleam of fluorescent lights on her glasses. "But I'll tell you one thing: back off! I saw him first, and no pink-haired slut-nurse is gonna get in my way!"

At first, the insult set Sakura's blood boiling, her face warming with anger. How _dare_ this complete stranger call her such a thing! She was _not _a slut – the only person she had eyes for was Sasuke. She didn't even dress slutty!

But then she noticed the way Karin was forcing herself to sit taller, head held high and defiant. It was reminiscent of a frightened cat puffing up its fur to intimidate its predators.

Raising and eyebrow, Sakura smirked. "Well, isn't that interesting, seeing as I was on his team before he left the village."

The other girl seemed to deflate for a moment, only to puff up even more immediately after.

"O-oh yeah? You have proof of that?"

Forcing a fakely sweet smile, Sakura took a photo of Team 7 from her pocket. She handed it to Karin, who studied it with a guarded expression.

"Whatever," she said, tossing back at her. "You should still stay away from him."

The pink-haired kunoichi bent down to pick up the photo, which had fallen to the floor. As she did so, Karin added, "Besides, I'm pretty sure Sasuke likes girls with long hair."

Straightening, Sakura shrugged. "Maybe. I'd rather be liked for more than appearance, though."

"Is that why you cut your hair?" Karin asked, gesturing to the photo in the other girl's hands. She wore a slightly curious expression.

"No, I sort of cut it out of instinct," Sakura smiled at the memory. "But I keep cutting it because it's more manageable this way."

Karin fingered her own long red hair, her tough facade slowly deteriorating, revealing worry. What did Sasuke _really_ prefer?

* * *

Author's Notes: _Before you say anything, this is _not_ and anti-Karin fic. I actually really like Karin. _

_Anyway, I don't know what the point of this was... Just sort of a random ficlet. /_

**Disclaimer: I do not own 'Naruto' or any of its characters.**


	29. Hair and Friendships

"What do you mean... out of instinct?"

Karin and Sakura still sat in Sasuke's room, the steady beeping of a hospital monitor filling the silent pauses in their conversation. Karin, no longer trying to hold up the illusion of confidence, had allowed herself to question Sakura with open curiosity.

"Well, I felt like I had no other choice but to cut it," Sakura explained, watching Sasuke's restful face as she spoke. "I was in a fight, and the only person who could protect my teammates."

"So... you sacrificed your own hair just to protect them?" Her eyebrows knit together. "But why? Shouldn't you put your own best interest before theirs?"

Sakura's gaze snapped up to meet the red-head's, her mouth open in shock. Did this girl honestly believe she should have put her _hair_ before her _teammates?_

Struggling to regain her composure, she said, "No. I would rather let my image get hurt instead of the people I care about. I mean, hair grows back. Friends don't."

"But you never grew it out again."

"Because I liked it short."

Silence followed Sakura's statement. Karin had turned her gaze to the floor, brow furrowed in a thoughtful expression. The pink-haired girl studied her, amazed at how selfish she could be. But what did she know? Maybe this girl had never been raised with values or morals. Maybe she didn't know better. It seemed absurd, but if Sasuke had met her through Orochimaru like she suspected, than it was perfectly logical.

Which reminded Sakura of just how this girl knew Sasuke, and the fact that she didn't actually know the details of their relationship. Were they just teammates? Or was there something deeper? If so, was it on an emotional basis, or a physical one? She was guessing the latter one, since Karin didn't seem like someone who would have emotional attachments.

Sighing, Sakura got to her feet, brushing invisible dirt off her skirt. "Well, I should probably go. I imagine you want to be alone with him or something..."

Moving toward the door, she tried to erase the previous thoughts from her mind, shuddering slightly at the mental image they brought. She did _not_ need to imagine Sasuke with another woman.

"Wait!"

Sakura turned, surprised to see Karin getting out of her own chair.

"You should stay with him," she said, moving toward the green-eyed girl. "You two probably have a lot of catching up to do. Besides, I should probably be making sure Juugo and Suigetsu aren't tearing this place apart."

The other female smiled gratefully. "Really?"

She nodded. "Yeah." Then, fidgeting slightly, she added, "So... could we, I dunno, hangout sometime? I've never had another girl to talk to, so, you know..."

Sakura's grin stretched wider across her face. "Sure."

And, despite her original dislike for the girl, she got the feeling that they might become very good friends.

* * *

Author's Notes: _Baah. Dx This did not turn out in a way I'm fond of. It just turned into a ushy 'let's-be-bestest-friends' fic. Dx _

**Disclaimer: I do not own 'Naruto' or any of characters.**


	30. Home

On the day Sasuke left his village, severed all bonds and dedicated his life to revenge, it rained.

It also rained on the day he returned to Konoha, beaten, tired, and longing for his home.

But where was that? He had always considered home to be with his family, but they were all dead now - which, in a way, meant he was homeless.

Naruto insisted home was with him and Team 7, where the people who cared for him were. If those three still cared for him, even after all he had done, then they were idiots. In Sasuke's opinion, anyway – idiots and masochists.

He trudged onward, stumbling through thick mud and over large tree roots. He remembered hearing someone say, _"Home is where the heart is."_ Did that mean it was where his loved ones, the people _he_ cared about, lived?

After years for numbing himself with hatred for Itachi and Orochimaru, it was hard to know who he loved anymore. He had severed all of his bonds, right? Meaning he cared for no one, for nothing but revenge and himself.

So he was home wherever he went, at any moment, because he was always with himself.

"Pathetic," he mumbled to the distant rumble of thunder. At the same time, his mind whispered, "Lonely."

Footsteps splashed through puddles, snapping twigs and crunching leaves. Sasuke tensed. Someone was coming.

Cautiously, he continued forward, until he was eventually able to make out the silhouette of an approaching figure. Soon, the person, who was obviously female, was close enough to recognize.

Sakura stopped the instant she saw Sasuke. Her green eyes were wide, her pink hair plastered to pale skin with a mix of rain and sweat.

"Sasuke-kun..."

Seeing her there, within arm's reach, suddenly made Sasuke realize just how tired he was. His body was sore and begged for rest; his mind could barely handle basic thought process; sleep had evaded him for days, and food seemed to have no effect on him. He took a step forward, only to have his legs collapse. Sakura caught him instinctively, her warm arms preventing him from crashing onto the muddy ground. As he blacked out, one word fluttered to his mind.

"_Home_..."

* * *

Author's Notes: _I'm not too impressed with how this one turned out, either. xP I mean, I guess it's okay, but I really think I could've done better. But laziness and lack of motivation prevents me from doing so. xD_

**Disclaimer: I do not own 'Naruto' or any of its characters.**


	31. Pain

Sakura cried out as pain knifed through her body. Her muscles ached and she was exhausted, but she could not give up, could not give in to the torture.

Closing her eyes and clenching her teeth, she tried to hide the pain. Breathing heavy, ragged gasps and sweating profusely, she felt a bizarrely worried about how she looked. Her tousled pink hair stuck to her face, which was red and wet, and she was pretty sure she was covered in blood.

She needed to focus. The more effort she put into getting through this, the sooner it would be over.

Another scream erupted from her, despite her best efforts to restrain it. An instant later, panicked wailing filled the air, accompanying the incessant beeping, her laboured breathing, and the encouraging voices around her.

She opened her eyes, which soon welled with tears at the sight in front of her. A small, fragile boy with a mess of black hair and tightly shut eyes (which she later discovered to be green) cried loudly in distress.

The nurse cleaned him off, wrapped a blanket around him, and gently handed him to Sakura.

"What would you like to name your son?"

Smiling down at her child, she said, "Seiko. Seiko Uchiha."

* * *

Author's Notes: _Yeah, yeah, I know. Probably a really cliched idea, but I still kinda like how it turned out. :D_

_Also, according to a 'Japanese to English Dictionary' I have, 'Seiko' means both 'success' and 'sexual intercourse'. xD Sakura named him after the first one, of course. _

**Disclaimer: I do not own 'Naruto' or any of its characters.**


	32. Pay Attention to Me!

Sakura was tired.

Tired of being ignored and underestimated and ridiculed by Sasuke. Tired of trying to prove her worth to him again and again, and getting no recognition. Tired of being called weak and being protected like some damsel in distress.

So she punched him. Hard.

Sasuke, caught off guard by the attack, was sent flying, landing a few metres away and skidding across the ground. A small trench stretched from where he had made impact to where he had slid to, the dark dirt covering his back. Naruto doubled-over in laughter, Sai looked amused, and Kakashi simply shook his head before returning to his book.

"What the hell was that?" Sasuke demanded, wincing as he sat up.

"I'm tired of you ignoring me!"

He snorted, rolling his eyes.

Sakura clenched her fists. "I'm serious. All you ever do is insult me. Anytime I make a mistake, you have to point it out and call me weak and pathetic and useless. But whenever I do something right, you ignore me and act like nothing happened!"

Rubbing the shoulder she had punched, he got to his feet. "And this is your way of getting my attention?"

"No, that's my way of releasing rage. _This_ is how I get your attention."

She began walking toward him, not even considering the consequences of her next action. When she was angry and fuelled by adrenaline, it was hard to think things through. Especially when annoyance and anger and hormones had been building up inside her since the day Sasuke had returned.

Stopping in front of him, she took a moment to meet his gaze. Then she grabbed his shirt front, pulled him forward, stood on her tip-toes, and pressed her lips firmly against his.

Time stood still. Sasuke had most definitely noticed her, and everyone stared at the pair with shock and interest. Even Kakashi set down his book (at the climax, no less) to watch the scene, finding it far more interesting.

Eventually, logic and rational thought returned to Sakura, who quickly pulled away with wide eyes and a rushed apology.

"OhmyGod, I am _so_ sor-"

Before she could reach the second syllable of 'sorry', Sasuke interrupted by returning the kiss, albeit a bit more gently.

A moment later, they separated again, and everyone was quiet.

"Well it's about time," Naruto grumbled, the first to break the silence. "I thought you two lovebirds would never get together."

* * *

Author's Notes: _Yeah. Sasuke prefers Sakura's second method of getting his attention. 8D_

**Disclaimer: I do not own 'Naruto' or any of its characters.**


	33. Sweet

Sasuke glared at the white powder that covered the countertop. It would be the death of him. The vile substance made him sick, though many other people enjoyed it, said it gave them a jolt of energy. A high.

"Isn't this fun?" Sakura asked. Her eyes were bright, a smile pulling at the corners of her lips. Some of the powder had gotten on her face.

"Hn."

Taking it as a 'yes', her smile broadened and she grabbed a pinch of the white substance, sprinkling it over the dough on her cookie sheet.

"Thank-you so much for helping me with this," she said, for the twenty-second time that day (he had been counting). "My soccer team really needs money for this trip, and a bake-sale seemed like the best idea. I would've asked Naruto, but he would've have eaten everything or done something stupid like spit in the batter, or try to make ramen cookies," she wrinkled her sugared nose in disgust. "Ino's doing her own fundraiser, and..."

As Sasuke listened to her go through the list of people who had been unable to help her, he tried to remember _why_ he had agreed to this. After all, wearing an apron and a hairnet and baking sugar-coated sweets wasn't exactly his forte. So, how on Earth had he been dragged into this?

"_Sasuke, could you _please_ help me with my fundraiser?" Sakura asked, lips pouting and green eyes wide._

Oh, right. He had suddenly developed hormones, resulting in all logical thought process being utterly destroyed. _Damn_.

Seriously, though. When had she gotten so cute and why hadn't he noticed until that inconvenient moment? And since when was 'cute' a part of his vocabulary outside of mocking?

"Sasuke?"

Snapping out of his thoughts, he met Sakura's worried gaze.

"Are you okay?" she asked. "You look sort of... red."

"I'm fine," he muttered, pressing a heart-shaped cookie-cutter into the dough.

A cool, grainy hand was suddenly pressed against his forehead as Sakura said, "Are you sure? You feel kinda warm. Maybe you've been around the oven too long."

He had no idea what made him do it. Maybe it was the proximity and having her hand touching his face, or the memory of her asking for his help repeating in his head again and again and again, or being surrounded by the scent of sweet, heart-shaped cookies. Maybe it was just complete loss of sanity. Whatever the reason, he found himself leaning down and forward, closer to her face and white dusted lips, and kissing her.

Sugar had never tasted so good.

* * *

Author's Notes: _Okay, I'm pretty pleased with the way this one came out. It's a bit of an AU (obviously), but I like it. I actually got to have a little fun with Sasuke's thought process, which is always nice. _

_I hope you guys like it!_

**Disclaimer: 'Naruto' and all its characters are property of Masashi Kishimoto.**


	34. Smile

Sakura felt like she was floating on air.

She didn't know why. She just woke up with a warm, optimistic feeling filling her chest, and the constant thought that it was going to be a good day.

And it was. Her hair didn't look bad, (which, technically, didn't matter since it always got messed up during training), the weather was nice, Kakashi wasn't horribly late, and the training drills were unusually simple.

A smile remained on her face all day, pulling at her lips so hard she thought her face might split. But it was a good – joy induced pain was always good. Because, if that little pain was all that bothered her, things had to be going amazingly well.

Everyone seemed to notice her cheerful mood. They would smile back or make a comment that only served to lift her higher up on her metaphorical cloud.

Well, everyone except Sasuke.

As usual, he was stoic and silent, focused on his task and nothing else. However, for once, this didn't bother Sakura. Instead of putting all her efforts into getting his attention and earning his approval, she simply enjoyed herself. Her happiness remained intact, and she continued to smile and laugh and take the pleasure in the almost-perfect day.

And, when she wasn't looking, Sasuke smiled back.

* * *

Author's Notes: _Finally! Another SasuSaku fic! :D It's been a while since I posted one. I hope you like it!_

**Disclaimer: 'Naruto' and all its characters are property of Masashi Kishimoto.**


	35. Touch

Warm fingers graced his skin, making it increasingly difficult for Sasuke to concentrate.

While he tried to think of strategies and plans, Sakura healed the injuries inflicted during his latest failed mission. He had been trying at the same one for months, but the security surrounding his target proved the task impossible. And yet he continued trying it anyway.

Soft skin tickled his bare back, making him flinch with surprise, pleasure, and irritation.

"Do you have to do that?" he asked, glaring at Sakura over his shoulder.

She blinked, forehead creasing in confusion. "Do what? I'm healing you, like you asked."

"_Can you do it without touching me?"_ he wanted to say, but knew it was a ridiculous request. Sighing, he rested his elbows on the table in front of him, chin supported on folded hands. _"Think!"_ his brain commanded. _"Focus!"_

But Sakura's hands were touching him again, and all thought went straight to the gutter.

"_Damn hormones."_

* * *

Author's Notes: _So, apparentl, yin my delusional little world, Sasuke rather enjoys getting healed. :3 Perhaps this is why he keeps getting beat up on his mission?_

**Disclaimer: I do not own 'Naruto' or any of its characters. **


	36. Origami

Sasuke watched Sakura as she moulded paper into various shapes. Her delicate but skilled fingers carefully folded the edges, green eyes focused only on her project. Fold, press, flip the paper. Fold, unfold, fold, unfold, half-fold, crease the edge.

The pink sheet was slowly taking on a recognizable form. He was awed by her patience, and wondered how she had learned such a technique. Tempted to ask but not wanting to break her concentration, he settled on studying the complicated folding.

"And... Done!" Sakura said, smoothing the edge of the final fold. The result was a small paper hat, which she then placed on Sasuke's head. For a moment, the Uchiha considered snapping at her and demanding she remove the ridiculous thing, but her cheerful smile forced him to bite his tongue.

Ten minutes later, a red paper-rose was tucked behind his ear, a chain of yellow paper-hearts hung around his neck, and Naruto was laughing his ass off.

* * *

Author's Notes: _So, I actually don't know how to do origami, but I've seen other people do it. I wanna learn how. _

_Also, Naruto's just jealous because he doesn't have awesome paper-accessories. :D_

**Disclaimer: I do not own 'Naruto' or any of its characters. **


	37. This Can't Be Real

Air rushed out of her lungs, fast an unexpected. She felt light-headed, amazed by the sight before her. The sensation of breathlessness left her dizzy and weak in the knees, searching for something to support her.

This couldn't be happening. It was too soon, too sudden. Three years of waiting, training, praying for this moment. A dream – that's all it was, nothing more.

And yet, it had to be real. Fantasies don't allow you to feel another person's intense, heated gaze. The pounding of her heart and struggle of her lungs as she gasped for breath felt far too real to be a product of her imagination.

But she wasn't convinced either way. Her mind and body were disconnected, moving at different paces. She needed to speak, feel his name roll off her tongue. So, with quivering lips, she uttered the prized syllables.

"Sasuke-kun."

* * *

Author's Notes: _So, yeah. My little interpretation of Sakura's reaction during the Team 7 reunion. Not overly happy with it, but whatever. _

**Disclaimer: I do not own 'Naruto' or any of its characters. **


	38. Rain

Sheets of rain poured down on them, soaking through their clothes and dancing along their skin. They shivered in the cold, their very bones feeling like ice.

But they didn't mind, too caught up in the moment and in each other to care.

Twirling in a circle, Sakura's movements caused mud to splash up on her legs, turning pale skin dark for a moment only to be washed away by the rain seconds later. As she spun she stretched out her arms, revelling in the water's embrace.

Standing a few feet away, Sasuke watched through droopy wet bangs, smiling as he listened to her laughter and the pitter-patter of spring rain.

* * *

Author's Notes: _This si actually really old, I just...haven't been udating lately. xP Chapter fics are distracting. _

_I hope you enjoy this, despite it's short lameness. _

**Disclaimer: I do not own 'Naruto' or any of its characters. **


	39. Remorse

The colour seeped out from her body, pooling around her on the ground. It wasn't the same vibrant shade one would imagine, used to catch attention and show anger or passion or luck. It was darker, like red-tinted ink spilling out of her.

A spark of something lit up inside him, causing emotions and thoughts to explode without control. His heart hammered and his eyes stung and he felt rage building the same way it did when he was overcome by the curse seal. But this was different. Instead of wanting to kill to create bloodshed, bloodshed was making him want to kill.

Revenge wasn't a stranger to him.

When his anger was released and another mangled body lay at his feet, he let remorse take hold, collapsing onto his knees and shaking with sobs. Tears flowed from burning Sharingan eyes, rolling down his cheeks and falling onto Sakura's bloodstained face.

* * *

Author's Notes: _Aaangst. Dx Not much to say about this. Sorry for the shortness and how little I've been updating... Um. Yeah. _

**Disclaimer: I do not own 'Naruto' or any of its characters. **


	40. Underestimate

Sasuke was shocked by the strength of the blow.

He saw it coming – his Sharingan had never failed him, not even then – but he just couldn't believe it. The chakra swirling around her fist, built up to its peak and perfectly maintained, the way her muscles tightened and her fist moved swiftly through the air, powerful and without hesitation – it just seemed impossible, too different from the weak, uncertain girl he had left behind.

Then her fist was slamming into his chest, and he felt a few ribs shatter on impact, blood spitting out of his mouth as he let an involuntary cry of pain escaped him. The force of the strike propelled him backwards, his body smashing through the trunk of a tree, effectively tearing the plant in half. When he finally made impact with the ground, the pain coursing through him was unbelievable.

All he could think of the whole time was her unconscious, tear-stained face as he placed her on that cold stone bench.

Her figure filled his pain-blurred sight, the light of the sun behind her making her pink hair seem to glow, green eyes shining on their own as she smirked smugly. Placing a hand on her hip, she said, in a confident voice he had never heard her use before, "Don't underestimate me."

* * *

Author's Notes: _A rewrite of the basic concept for a much longer, much suckier one-shot. Hope you guys like it. D_

**Disclaimer: I do not own 'Avatar' or any of its characters. **


	41. Elope

"I want to marry you."

Sakura's heart stopped, her breath catching at the proclamation.

They were in a cold prison, him inside a cell, her outside his door. The only thing she could see through the tiny barred opening was his eyes, dark and serious. She wanted to move closer, to reach out to him, but couldn't – one step closer would earn electrocution, courtesy of the heavy wards placed around his cell.

"Are you kidding me?" she hissed, voice echoing eerily off the metal walls.

"No. Why would I be?"

"Because that's insane!" she cried. The noise boomed loud and metallic. Lowering her voice, she continued, "Do you have any idea what would happen if I married you? You're a criminal in this entire village's eyes."

"Who says anyone has to know?" he asked, eyes gleaming, revealing the plan stirring inside his mind.

"You mean... get married in secret?"

He nodded.

Sakura chewed her lip uncertainly. She loved Sasuke and wanted more than anything to be with him. But could she really handle being bound to someone she could never touch and rarely speak to? It would be years until Sasuke was released and even longer until he was accepted – marrying him was no simple decision.

"I... Yes. I'll marry you."

It took all her strength not to reach for his hand.

* * *

Author's Notes: _Part of me is happy with this, the other is not. At all. xP Blaah. I guess it's okay, but there's something about it that seems off. _

_I hope you guys still like it! _

**Disclaimer: I do not own 'Naruto' or any of its characters. **


	42. Out of Tune

Someone was singing, and terribly at that.

Squinting his eyes open, Sasuke blinked against the blinding light that assaulted him, suddenly aware of warm white sheets and his aching body and a familiar, sterile smell.

He was in the hospital.

The singer hit a particularly high note, voice sharp and screeching. Turning his gaze in the direction of the sound, he saw a pink-haired girl sitting at his room's only window, tending to an equally pink carnation, her eyes as green as its stem.

Sakura.

Oblivious to her now-conscious audience, she kept singing loudly and happily, either unaware of how bad she was or simply not caring. The Uchiha had a clear view of her from where he lay in bed and took the opportunity to study her – it had been almost three years since he had a proper look at her.

Her skin wasn't the same smooth, flawless way it had been before, when she still though a lot of beauty and looks over her skills and duties as a kunoichi - it appeared rough and scarred, especially her callous-ridden fingers, displaying the hardships she had endured in battles and training. Muscles were more defined in her arms and legs, showing further evidence of her hard work and training, as well as her new found strength (and it reminded him why he was the hospital, the shock he felt when delicate little Sakura had shattered his ribs in a single punch). Still, her eyes and her smile and the happiness she radiated remained the same.

Done with her flower, Sakura turned around, gasping in surprise when she saw he was awake and watching her intently.

"Oh! Y-you're up," she said, stiffening and blushing. "How long have you-? Did y-?" Bowing her head shamefully, she stuttered, "S... Sorry about the singing."

"I don't mind."

"What?" she asked, head jerking back up to look at him with wide eyes. "You don't think I'm bad?"

"No, you're terrible. But I don't mind – you can keep singing, if you want."

Cheeks still burning, she nodded, going about her duties (he could see now that she was his nurse) with the usual song – albeit a bit quieter. And, for reasons beyond his understanding, Sasuke enjoyed the sound of her sweet, off-key voice.

* * *

Author's Note: _Trying to force myself out of my SasuSaku rut, so I wrote this before going to bed last night. Sorry if it's not that great - it's a pretty pointless little piece of fluff. xD I'm still kinda happy with it, though. _

**Disclaimer: I do not own 'Naruto' or any of its characters. **


	43. Feel

is opponent twisted skilfully out of the way, narrowly avoiding the rush of fire he sent her way. With a growl of annoyance, he started forming familiar seals – when had she gotten so fast? Taking a deep breath, he focused the chakra inside him, raising it to his throat and exhaling an intense stream of fire, pivoting on the spot to burn everything around him.

The smoke cleared, and she was nowhere to be seen.

Part of Sasuke wondered if this was a good thing.

Then a shadow fell over him and he noticed Sakura moving in from above, fist ready to strike, momentum hurdling her forward at a favourable pace.

Leaping back, he barely escaped the attack, watching in silent awe as she dented the earth with a dainty fist. It wasn't the first time he had seen her use such strength during their battle, but he couldn't help being amazed by how strong she had become.

While she was still recovering from her own attack, Sasuke drew his sword and charged forward, moving behind her in seconds. In an easy movement, he slipped the blade beneath her chin, pressing the sharp edge to her throat, ready to finish their too-long battle.

He hesitated.

Glaring down at his resistant hands, he tried to brush away his inappropriate thoughts (avengers had no bonds, no attachments. They didn't spare lives without good reason) and remind himself of his goal. Sakura interfered; she chose her own death.

The cold steel metal bit into her neck, drawing blood. It wouldn't budge any further.

Tightening her bloody hold on the sword, the pink-haired girl pushed it away, her strength warring against Sasuke's. He grunted, trying to convince his own hands to "stop resisting and just kill her already!"

"Look at us," she laughed bitterly, humourlessly. "Is this how you want things to be?"

'_It's how they have to be,_' he thought. But his traitorous hands had won; rather than slicing her throat, he pulled his sword away and pinched a pressure point on her neck, causing her body to stiffen then slump forward, completely defenceless and harmless.

It would have been so easy to finish the job.

Instead, he dashed away, paying no mind to where he ran as he clutched his throbbing chest, wondering if she had somehow managed to elbow his heart.

* * *

Author's Notes: _Cheesy, lame ending is cheesy and lame. 8D But I'm still happy with this fic. I've been writing a lot of SasuSaku Fightscenes lately, so I'm sorry if you start to see a pattern in my updates. I'll try to do something different. _

**Disclaimer: I do not own 'Naruto' or any of its characters.**


	44. Delicate

In an instant Sasuke was leaping in front of her, shielding her from in oncoming attack like he had so long ago on their first real, dangerous mission, when she was weak and he was strong and he was the knight to her damsel in distress.

It pissed her off.

Ducking out from behind him, she charged at their mutual enemy (the only reason they were working together, really), catching off-guard with a bone-shattering punch to his jaw. His body flew back, htting the ground hard as blood oozed from his busted face. Turning to face Sasuke, Sakura smirked at his barely contained shock.

"I'm not made of glass, you know."

He made a non-committal grunt, and they returned their attention to the fight.

The bastard still kept trying to protect her, though.

* * *

Author's Notes: _Super-short, but I like it. 3 Don't feel bad, Sakura - he's just trying to show that he cares, despite being an asshole. :3_

**Disclaimer: I do not own 'Naruto' or any of its characters.**


	45. Must Be Dreaming

After he left, Sakura saw Sasuke everywhere.

But not really – it wasn't him, just... memories and wishes.

Anytime she visited The Bench (as she had come to dub it in her mind), she thought – _hoped_ – she saw him on the road, smiling, waiting to surprise her with his return. But then the wind would blow or the clouds would shift, and he would be revealed as a shadow, a trick of the light.

Dreams were the worst.

In a dream, you think things are real, no matter how illogical or impossible they may seem. You're too far gone into the realm of sleep to consider reason. So when Sakura dreamt of happy days with the complete, original Team 7, or Sasuke whisking her off her feet and begging to marry her, or any other personal fantasies, it was all the more disappointing when she woke up and discovered reality.

So it was hard to shake the feeling that she was dreaming when, years later, she finally saw him, bruised and battered but alive and real, right where he belonged in Konoha.

* * *

Author's Notes: _Hm. Not much to say about this one. xP Kinda like it, kinda don't. Meh._

**Disclaimer: I do not own 'Naruto' or any of its characters. **


	46. Fall to Pieces

Tears rolled down her cheeks, wet and warm and salty. The world was blurred and confused, her mind unable to grasp what or how or _why_.

What made him leave? What had driven him away?

How could she _let_ him leave? How could she fail herself and the village and, more importantly, how could she fail _him_?

_Why?_ Why did any of it have to happen? The massacre, the curse mark, the visit, him leaving; none of it should have happened; no one should have been forced to endure that.

But she knew the answers. It was all because of _Itachi_ and _Orochimaru_ and _power_. His unquenchable desire for power and revenge, something she couldn't give him – _no_ _one_ could give him but the man of snakes.

And even knowing the answer (or maybe _because_ she knew it and could do nothing to change things), she fell apart where he had abandoned her, sobbing on a bench.

* * *

Author's Notes: _Whoa. Been a while since I updated, hasn't it? Sorry about that - I've been working on other fics. ^.^ Hopefully I'll have some more frequent updates now, though, since I'm done with those other stories. _

_Anywho, hope you guys enjoy this!_

**Disclaimer: I do not own 'Naruto' or any of its characters. **


	47. Surrender

Sitting on her bed, knees hugged to her chest, Sakura stared at the photo of her team (or what it used to be, at least), remembering the days when they were happy and eager and _together_, before things fell apart and her world toppled like a line of dominos.

One face stood out. His intense, dark eyes bore into her, seeming to pierce her mind even as something as lifeless as a photo. It stood out because it was so familiar yet so different – the Sasuke she remembered, not the one she had seen mere hours ago. He had always been stoic and silent and single-minded, but never the hate-filled shell of a person she had encountered, completely consumed by revenge.

'_We put so much into this mission, risked our lives...'_ she thought, hand absent-mindedly drifting to the spot where a poison-tipped blade had pierced her stomach. '_We were so close, fought so hard, but it still wasn't enough.'_

Was it really worth it? Should she and Naruto really dedicate their lives to this, to the seemingly impossible goal of retrieving a friend who grew more distant with each passing day?

It would be so much easier to just give up, forget him, like everyone insisted...

'_Those who abandon their comrades are worse than trash.'_

With a clench of her fists and a hake of her head, she quickly banished the thought of surrender. Sasuke needed help. As a friend and a kunoichi trained in the art of healing, she couldn't turn her back on someone who needed her.

Rising out of bed, she glanced out the window. The sun was beginning to rise.

It was time to resume her training.

* * *

Author's Notes: _Haven't posted any SasuSaku in a while. Hopefully you guys like this. :3_

**Disclaimer: I do not own 'Naruto' or any of its characters.**


	48. Green Eyed Monster

Sakura was jealous. More specifically, she was jealous of Orochimaru.

It didn't seem fair that he, the psychopathic snake-charmer, was the person Sasuke went running to. It wasn't right that Orochimaru got to live with and train with and lavish attention on Sasuke, and get the same in return.

But that was how things were, and she could do nothing change it. She couldn't offer the same things he could – power and isolation and a distraction-free path to revenge. She could only offer the opposite of what Sasuke wanted or thought he needed – love and loyalty and a promise to protect him at all costs.

However, an envious woman doesn't give up quite so easily. Instead, her determination grew in pace with her strength, and she made a personal vow to kill Orochimaru and ensure Sasuke was brought home to Konoha, where she would _show_ him what he truly needed.

This was a promise that she kept, though things hardly turned out as expected.

Orochimaru was slain at Sasuke's hands, not hers, and the Uchiha arrived in the village on his own will, a thirst for destruction in his eyes.

* * *

Author's Notes: _More drabbles! =D I'm gonna try and start updating these more often again, though I think I may have hit a block where this pairing is concerned. xP Blah. _

**Disclaimer: I do not own 'Naruto' or any of its characters. **


	49. Victory

Sasuke was behind her in an instant, pinning her arms to her back and pressing a kunai to her throat. Why she thought she stood a chance against him she didn't know – he had more speed and techniques and general skill than she could ever hope to.

Still, it had been worth a shot, worth the chance to prove she wasn't weak and defenceless anymore. That she had trained and fought and bled to save him from his own twisted path in life.

The blade pressed closer, drawing a tiny bead of red from her veins. Despite his towering height, Sasuke had managed to lean down far enough to whisper a menacing promise in her ear. "You've interfered with my plans. Now I' must kill you and everyone you care about."

Sakura laughed bitterly, somehow managed not to get her throat slit in the process. "You wouldn't."

"You doubt my thirst for revenge?" he hissed, and she could feel his smouldering glare bore into the back of her head.

"No, I just don't think you'd kill yourself when you have so much unfinished business to take care of."

A low growl reached her ears, rumbling where her back was pressed against his chest. Even in such a compromising situation, Sakura allowed herself a smile.

Because she knew she had won. He could kill her, piece her heart, tear her limb from limb, turn all her friends to ash, but never truly defeat her. As long as he survived, continued breathing and thinking and chasing his goals – however demented they may be – she would never be defeated.

'_Love always triumphs.'

* * *

_Author's Notes: _Not entirely happy with how this turned out. Hopefully you guys still enjoy it, though. _

**Disclaimer: I do not own 'Naruto' or any of its characters. **


	50. Medical Log

_June 9__th_:

Missing-nin Sasuke Uchiha was brought in after a battle on the outskirts of Konoha. Patient was suffering broken bones, head trauma, and multiple stab wounds. Student Sakura Haruno (also the kunoichi responsible for patient's condition) requested permission to be his primary nurse. Permission denied.

_June 10__th_:

Patient appears to be in a coma of sorts. Sakura still requesting to be his primary nurse.

_June 11__th_:

Patient is still comatose, Sakura is continuing her request. Word of patient's arrival has spread – Naruto Uzumaki has requested visitation. Permission denied.

_June 12__th_:

Status of patient, Sakura, and Naruto remains the same. I need some sake.

_June_ _13__th_:

Patient woke up for approximately ten seconds. Sakura still insistent on being his nurse. Naruto tried to break into the patient's room this morning. Shizune refuses to give me sake.

_June 14__th_:

Patient is currently awake. Sakura and Naruto broke into his room this morning. They have been in there for three hours. Patient is too delirious to complain about being smothered in hugs/stuck in a room with two squealing ex-comrades. I'm getting a migraine. Still haven't gotten any sake.

_June 14__th__, late afternoon_:

Patient slept for another three hours after I forced Sakura and Naruto to leave. He is awake again and wondering where they went. Probably still delirious.

_June 15__th_:

Patient is fully conscious and eating. Has been co-operative and answered all questions. Keeps asking who ambushed him and where Sakura and Naruto are.

_June 16__th_:

Sakura and Naruto were granted permission to see the patient. Sakura explained it was her and ambushed him and brought him out of his coma. Patient refuses to believe this. Naruto keeps asking when the patient will be released. Threw a fit when I said the patient would be put on trial for his crimes. Need to find my secret stash of sake.

_June 17__th_:

Patient is asleep again. Sakura hasn't left his bedside in four hours. Can't get her to go away. Naruto is starting a petition to get the patient out of standing trial. So far he has three signatures. Four days until trial.

_June 18__th_:

Managed to get Sakura to leave the patient and attend to someone else. Squad leader Kakashi Hatake visited today. Interrogated the patient more and answered some of the patient's questions. Naruto held a one-person strike against the patient's trial outside my office. Petition has five signatures. Three days until trial.

_June 19__th_:

Sakura requested permission to give the patient a sponge bath today. Permission fervently denied. Sakura requested permission to help the patient shave. Permission reluctantly granted. Naruto has ten signatures for his petition. Two days until trial.

_June 20__th_:

Sakura was banned from the patient's room after she was found sleeping in his bed. Both were thankfully fully clothed. Both Sakura and the patient refuse to speak to anyone about anything. Naruto tried to trick me into signing his petition. Still only has ten signatures. One day until trial.

_June 21__st__:_

Patient was released for his trial. Found guilty of all charges but only put under heavy surveillance, six months' house arrest, and three years' probation. Naruto is convinced it's because of his petition. Finally found my sake. Drinking all of it and taking the rest of the day off from the hospital.

* * *

Author's Notes: _Okay, I have no idea what a real doctors medical log would look like, or if there even is such a thing. I just thought this would make an amusing drabble. ^.^;;_

_Hopefully you guys enjoyed it!_

**Disclaimer: I do not own 'Naruto' or any of its characters.  
**


	51. Power of the Full Moon

The moon hung high in the sky, round, pale, and glowing. Most would say it was beautiful. To Sakura, it was foreboding.

"A full moon can make a person do crazy things," she remembered hearing people say. And what if someone was already crazy about doing something? How could they resist the moon's effects?

So she hurried to the road that lead out of the village, hoping to block Sasuke's path and reason with him, remind him of what he had in his home, what he would be leaving behind. Hoping her influence was stronger than the moon's.

It wasn't.

* * *

Author's Notes: _Not much to say about this, other than the fact that I'm happy I managed to keep it at 100 words (according to my writing program, at least). _

**Disclaimer: I do not own 'Naruto' or any of its characters.**


	52. Pick Up

"Hey, Sakura."

"Yes?"

". . ."

"Is there something you wanted to ask me?"

"If-I-could-rearrange-the-alphabet-I'd-put-"U"-and-"I"-together."

"_What_?"

Hn."

"No, honestly Sasuke, I didn't hear you. And why are you so _red_? Did Naruto put Tabasco sauce in your tomato soup again?"

"If . . . If I could rearrange the alphabet, I'd put "U" and "I" together . . . Stop laughing!"

"Wh-who told you to _say_ that?"

"Naruto."

"And you _trusted_ him?"

"Shut up."

"Aw, don't worry, Sasuke. I think it's cute that you'd rearrange the alphabet for me."

". . ."

"Okay, okay, I'll never mention it again. You can stop it with the death-glare."

". . ."

". . ."

"So . . . Do you wanna . . . do something together? Sometime?"

"I'd love to."

* * *

Author's Notes: _I think Sasuke might be OOC, but I still kinda like it. Just 'cause it's so silly. xD_

_Hope you guys like it!_

**Disclaimer: I do not own "Naruto" or any of its characters. **


	53. Turn Your Back

**Spoilers for recent chapters  
**

* * *

"God, you're so annoying! What's Sasuke to you, anyway?"

"I-I . . ."

The explanation should've been simple – Sasuke was an ex-comrade and a dear friend, someone Sakura couldn't bear to lose.

But somehow the other shinobi's words made it impossible to speak, her throat tightening painfully as he eyes swelled with tears.

'_You're so annoying!'_

Wasn't that what Sasuke had always called her? Wasn't that what he had said the night he left, the night she poured her heart out to him and only received a vague "thank-you" in return?

The tears rolled down her cheeks and a sob escaped her throat, knees weakening to the point of collapse. Sasuke had left them despite their begging, pleading, fighting, offers of friendship or love or assistance in his vengeful quest. He had turned them away and turned his back to the village, and now he . . . he . . .

"Tell us everything you know about Sasuke and the Akatsuki!"

He was the enemy.

* * *

Author's Notes: _Just a bit of an introspective on what could've been going through Sakura's head. I'm praying she gets some action in the next chapters - she needs to confront Sasuke at some point!_

**Disclaimer: I do not own "Naruto" or any of its characters. **


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